2 – 6 September 2020 Running Info

Hello Runners!
What a great start we had this week!  It’s always so much fun to see old friends, as well as new faces, turning up at Barclay’s on that first morning– and it just wouldn’t be the same without a little rain shower to start the year off right!!  (Thanks to Miki Neant for remembering to snap a ‘first day’ photo!)  A very warm welcome if you’ve just joined us this week– hopefully you could feel how happy we are to have you with us.  Every single one of us has been new to the group at some point, so we genuinely want to make you feel comfortable and included, and we look forward to getting to know you– friendships flourish quickly when we are putting in the miles (and the coffees) together!

A reminder for anyone just now joining us, we meet at Barclay’s by 8:15 for an 8:20 departure.  It’s a good idea to always bring an Oyster or credit card, because we often travel home by tube.  And a further reminder for all… we are a large group and we can be unintentionally intimidating to pedestrians when we’re caught up in our run and our conversations!  Please be aware and considerate of the Londoners with whom we share the sidewalks– PLEASE don’t take the full width of the sidewalk when there are others around, and do give enough space that they don’t feel we’re running over them!

Finding our ‘happy pace.’  If you’re new and not finding the right pace group, please speak up!  We really want to help you find the people who are doing the pace and distance you’re looking for, but sometimes it might take more than one try to get it right.  Any of the returning runners can point you to someone who will be able to help.  If you are a returning runner, try not to worry too much about established pace groups these first couple of weeks.  Some women have been running all summer and some haven’t so much– and both of those summer options are fine!  But we do need to be careful to avoid injury by not trying to just pick up where we left off last spring without regard for training differences over the last 10 weeks.  Find the pace that is right for you right now, and there will be others who are running that pace.  Our routes these first couple of weeks offer flexibility on distance, and they are familiar (or at least in familiar territory).  If we take a couple of weeks to get back in the groove, our pace groups will begin to settle in naturally.  Look for more on this, and the introduction of pace group leaders, in next week’s e-mail.

Running this week.  Don’t forget to look at the maps and route descriptions at the end of this e-mail!!  It’s tradition to do our 4-mile trip to Big Ben on the first Monday back.  This route is a standard favourite for us– kind of like a London tour, but free, with exercise, and no following a tour guide with a pink flag (though maybe a pink hat)!  This run also has options for more mileage– see details on the map below.  On Wednesday we’re trying a new run that Darcy Fautz and Erin Roth came up with in response to requests to maximise our time in green spaces, as well as to have some fresh Wednesday options.  It looks great– thanks, ladies!  We’ll head to the Primrose Hill entrance off of Elsworthy Rd, and then take in the view at the top before coasting down to Regents Park for a nice loop around and back to St Johns Wood.  Please, everyone look at the map ahead of time so we are not dependent on just a few people who know the route!  And on Friday we will tackle the Hill again, up Fitzjohn Rd to the Heath.  See all Heath options via the link below, or ask around at Barclay’s for a group running an alternative route.

Beginners’ Group.  Our Class of ’20 Beginners had their first run last Thursday, but it’s not too late! If you have any friends who are interested in joining, please have them email [email protected]. (Remember that the beginner group is for women who have never run before.) . We always expect that women will continue to join in the first few weeks, especially those who hear about us at ASL’s SCOOP event, but the sooner they join, the better and easier it is for them!

Announcements and Shoutouts.  If you ordered a black running cap during the Spring kit order a few months back, you should have received an e-mail from kitmaster Marissa O’Malia to let you know they have finally arrived!  Don’t forget to bring your £25 payment on Monday to receive the hat after the run.  Otherwise, Marissa’s e-mail offered alternate times she is available for collection and payment, so you can work that out directly with her.  And for anyone who is wishing they had ordered one, good news… there will be a limited number of extra hats for sale!  Sit tight and we will give you details about where and when.

Save the Date!  We are planning a Welcome Back Coffee for Wednesday, September 18, after our run.  Details to follow… but we hope you will mark your calendars to join us!

Enjoy this beautiful weekend, everyone!  I can’t wait to get out there running with you all again next week… see you at Barclay’s! 

xx Micki

ROUTES

Monday 2 September  – Big Ben (4-8 miles)This is a WRW standard, and such a fun route!  We run right through the heart of London and stop at the famous Big Ben. The 8 mile option is for runners who’ve been training for a fall race.
On Monday we head to Hyde Park via the usual route. Start heading west on Circus Road and turn left on Grove End and follow south as it becomes Lisson Grove. Cross over Marylebone Road and continue on Seymour Place until the end. Turn right and cross over Edgware Road and then left to enter Hyde Park at the intersection with Stanhope Place.   Run along the eastern edge of the park to Hyde Park Corner, under Wellington Arch and down Constitution Hill. Run along the edge of Green Park, past the Victoria Memorial and cross The Mall at the traffic light. Run down The Mall and enter St. James Park.  Run over the bridge across the lake and out of the park, turning left onto Birdcage Walk and down into Parliament Square to Big Ben. Those running four miles will take the tube back to SJW from here and those running eight will turn around and follow the same route back. You can also make it  a five-mile run by turning back at Big Ben and running to the Green Park Tube Station, then tubing it home.

Wednesday 4 September – new run!— Primrose Hill/Regents Park Loop (5 miles)
Start out as if we’re headed for the Heath, running down St Johns Wood Terrace until it reaches the T.  Turn left, then right, then left again at Avenue Rd.  At the crossing just a short distance up Avenue Rd, cross over and run down Elsworthy Rd a short distance until you see a small road on the right that ends in the entrance to Primrose Hill park.  Once in the park take the path that angles to the left, then bear right at the first fork and left at the second.  This will take you up for a fantastic view from the top of Primrose Hill.  After you’ve caught your breath, take the path that goes down on the right (if you are looking out toward London), then curve around to the left at the first split.  Follow this path all the way down the hill to the crossing at Prince Albert Rd.  Cross at the zebra and head straight into the park via the bridge and across the Outer Circle (NOT a zebra, please note!).  In Regents Park, take the path that angles to the left, running behind the zoo.  Cross the Broad Walk by the fountain and continue across on the path that heads toward, but not all the way to, the perimeter of the park.  Follow this to the far corner, and then turn right to run along the southern edge of the park, inside the fence.  Continue to follow this around  the boating pond to run across the little bridge at the far end of the pond, then bear right to follow the contour of the pond to its end.  Continue on the same path until it meets the diagonal path that runs behind the zoo (the same one we ran in on).  Turn left to follow that to its end and then turn left onto the Outer Circle and follow it for a short distance to the crossing at Charlbert.  Exit the park and take Charlbert to St Johns Wood Terrace to finish at our Starbucks/Pret corner of the High Street.

Primrose Hill/Regents Park

Friday, 6 September – The Heath
There are multiple mileage options below, and the link will take you to all the maps.  

4 miles:  A great way to ease into running the hill. Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back. If you have trouble running up, think about how easy it will be running down!
5 miles: The Betsy Route
6+ miles:  The partial Heath route OR the Reverse Heath route OR Pergola route
7.5 miles: The Highgate route
8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.

28 – 30 August 2019 Running Info

Hello Runners!
A great big welcome back to everyone– or if you’re new to London or to WRW, a very warm WELCOME!  I’m so excited to see you all, and meet some new runners as well, in just a few days!

Our first official run of the year will be this Wednesday, August 28, at 8:15am, meeting in the courtyard next to Barclay’s Bank (corner of Wellington and Circus Roads in St John’s Wood).  Right now it looks like it will be a gorgeous day, but we run rain or shine.  For those new to the group, please don’t be overwhelmed by the numbers (or the volume) with so many of us getting back together for the first time all summer– we’re a very friendly group and we’re thrilled that you are joining us!  I will wear my bright orange hat on Wednesday so you can’t miss me– please come say hello if it’s your first day!

In the next few weeks these emails will cover a lot of information, but I think there’s no better way to start than with these basic reminders:

Take care of yourself.  You deserve it!  Stretch.  Don’t go too fast or too far, too early.  Get sleep.  Make sure your running shoes are working for you.  If you have a question, ask the women you are running with– they have loads of general knowledge about everything from art galleries to zip cards!  And if you are injured, we can steer you toward an expert for help.

Take care of each other.  This is what makes our group so great!  Welcome the new runners and ex-beginners (remember how nice it was when someone welcomed you!) . As always, be encouraging and supportive of the women around you.  Notice if someone is having a hard time– an encouraging word or a distracting conversation can really help!  Make sure no one gets left behind at a traffic light or in unfamiliar territory.
Remember that WRW is really just a group of friends who like to run together. We have a lot of experienced runners in the group, but we are not professionals. We can offer general wisdom about training (stretch! be gradual in increasing your mileage! slow down on the long runs! and… stretch!).  But it’s crucial that if something is bothering you, little or big, you should seek out professional advice from an expert. Or if you are new to running or new to running longer distances, you may want to see an expert to make sure you are healthy and OK to tackle this challenge.

Running this week.  Wednesday we will keep it simple and do a loop in Regents Park (see below for maps/directions)– so no worrying about directions or traffic lights, and it’s close enough to home that it’s easy to cut it short or walk a bit if need be.  We’ll see you at Starbucks for a post-run coffee!  Friday we’ll jump right in to head up the hill to Hampstead– there are lots of options on distance, see the map below for links to the hill route details on the website.  If you’re not quite ready for a hill run, there will likely be others doing a flat route, so just ask around when we meet up at Barclay’s.

Easing back into running.  If you’ve taken some time off this summer, you’ll be in good company– there will be plenty of us working our way back into running.  But there will also be some women who are training for fall races or have been racing over the summer, so don’t be tempted into running further and faster than you are ready to!  Our route-masters have given us routes with flexibility on distance.  The important thing is just to get started with the group now, while we’re all getting back into it together.  Your legs and lungs will come back quickly, but the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be.  Even though the start of the school year can be very busy, you’ll be glad you took a little time for yourself!  

If you are recovering from an injury or returning to running after a very long time, we are pleased to say that Tamar Brooks will be leading a Ramp Up group again this fall for all paces.  Ask anyone at Barclays– or wait for the “bench stand” announcement (that’s me, standing on a park bench) to help you immediately connect with this group.  Otherwise, we tend to be pretty flexible about pace groups for the first few weeks each year, but we will start to fall into groups fairly soon.  In the meantime, please look out for the new runners who may need help finding the right group– and for those new to the group, just ask anyone and they will either have an answer, or point you to someone who does!  Watch this space over the next few weeks for more information on pace groups, and for introductions of the amazing people who keep WRW running.  

Tuesday – Thursday Beginner Group.  The first day for the 2019-2020 Beginner group will be this Thursday 29 August. Our beginner group is for true beginners, women who have never run before.  The program starts out with one-minute intervals at a very slow jog, so is not appropriate for anyone who is able to run even a mile or two.  Please help us spread the word about our beginner group– it’s really helpful if beginners can find their way to us sooner rather than later!  ASL’s SCOOP event, which is how many new families find out about WRW, is not until September 7 this year, so if you know (or meet!) anyone who is interested in the beginner group, have them email us at [email protected].  Amy Grace and her fantastic lineup of coaches are all set to give another lucky group of brave beginners a fun and life-changing experience! 

Shoutouts and Announcements.  It’s a little early to have anything to shout out about, but I have to send out kudos to a group of WRW runners and alums who ran the San Francisco Half Marathon at the end of July!  Huge congratulations to these ladies for the race, as well as for their strong finishes (which an inside source– not one of them– kindly shared with me).  We are so proud!
Bjorg Fridbjornsdottir (2nd in age group, 1st in age year)
Shan Mercer (6th in age year)
Carmine Najjar (3rd in age year)
Kathy McMahon (4th in age year)
Maureen Fossum (8th in age year– finished with Mee)
Mee Lee (8th in age year– finished with Maureen!)
Poornima Guruprasad (16th in age year)
Alysia Hoyt (8th in age year)

Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone, and thanks for bearing with me through a long first e-mail.  Can’t wait to see you all and start another year of running adventures with you!  It’s going to be a great year!!

xx Micki

ROUTES

Wednesday, 28 August – Regent’s Park Inner/Outer Circle (5 miles)

From Barclay’s head down Wellington Road to the traffic circle at Lord’s Cricket Ground and bear left onto Prince Albert Road. Run to the pedestrian crossing where we will cross and head to the Outer Circle. Turn right and run on the inside of the circle past Winfield House which will be on your left. Continue around the Outer Circle until you reach the traffic light at intersection with York Bridge. Turn left and proceed to the Inner Circle. Run one complete loop of the Inner Circle and back out across York Bridge where we will take a left and continue on Ulster Terrace which is part of the Outer Circle. At the next large intersection take a left and continue on the Outer Circle, heading north back towards the Zoo and Camden. Pass the entrance to the Zoo on your left and continue to the bridge at North Gate which we will cross to reach Charlbert Street. Run up Charlbert Street until St John’s Terrace where we turn left and run back to Barclay’s for a stretch before heading to Starbucks.Note – you can make this a 4 mile run by cutting out the inner loop.

Friday, 30 August – The Heath
Come on, you know you can’t wait to get back up that hill!  There are multiple mileage options below, and the link will take you to all the maps. 
4 miles:  A great way to ease into running the hill. Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back. If you have trouble running up, think about how easy it will be running down!
5 miles: The Betsy Route
6+ miles:  The partial Heath route OR the Reverse Heath route OR Pergola route
7.5 miles: The Highgate route
8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.